Open AccessObesity prevalence in Latin America
Author(s) -
J Braguinsky
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
anales del sistema sanitario de navarra
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.175
H-Index - 23
eISSN - 2340-3527
pISSN - 1137-6627
DOI - 10.23938/assn.0819
Subject(s) - obesity , latin americans , epidemiology , public health , developed country , developing country , epidemiological transition , demography , population , environmental health , etiology , medicine , prevalence , gerontology , political science , economic growth , sociology , nursing , psychiatry , law , economics
Obesity is a public health problem that affects both the developed and the developing countries. Its aetiology includes genetic factors and lifestyle (diet and physical activity). The studies of its prevalence in different strata and localisations of the Latin American countries varied between 22-26% in Brazil, 21% in Mexico, 10% in Ecuador, 3-22% in Peru, 22-35% in Paraguay and 24-27% in Argentina, although these data should not be extrapolated to the general population. The comparative national studies made it possible to establish that: 1.- The prevalence of preobesity plus obesity was above 20% in 17 of the 20 countries. 2.- There is a trend to increase in the prevalence of obesity. 3.- The relation of obesity between women/men is significantly higher in females in the majority of countries. In any case, although the validity of these rates must be examined with care, since the goals of evaluation and comparison with the corresponding patterns might differ, it can be observed that the epidemiological transition in these countries leads to a growing number of persons with obesity.